Ver. 49.-The obscurity of revelation. I. Tim TEACIIING OF DIVINE REVELATION IS SOMETIMES OliSCURED. It was a fact that Ezekiel had been speaking in parables. No other prophet indulged so freely in symbolical language. His writings are a garden of luxnrinnt metaphors, which often blossom into elaborate allegories. This style is characteristic of Oriental literature, and it i~ a feature of the Dible teaching genero.lly, though in Ezekiel it is ca11·ied out more fully tban elsewhere. There is an analogy between the seen anrl the unseen. Unattentive hearers may be arrested by what strikes them on the plain of their own earthly living. It is not enough that we receive a bold abstract statement of truth into our understandings, for this may never fructify. An imaginative grasp of truth, even when it is less clearly defined, may be more vitnl nnd fruitful. II. \VREN TEA0HH1G IS OBSCURE, THE TEACHER IS BLAMED. The unwilling hearers of Ezekiel laid the charge of failure to the account of the prophet. His language bad been so enigmatical that they could not understand him. It is only reasonable that the Chri$tian preacher should be open to criticism. On some accounts he should welcome it, for it shows that the minds of his hearers are not entirely asleep. Anything is better than blank indifference. Moreover, no one can be so certain that in many things the preacher fails sadly as he is himself, if he truly understands his high vocation. Never- theless, the most bard criticism comes from unsympathetic hearers, who care only to be taught, and seek only to be amused, or who are too indolent to think, and therefore complain of any appeal to their intellects, and blame the preacher for ma.king difficulties which must sta.nd in the way of unthinking minds. The earnest inquirer after truth ma.y pick up some crumbs from the most obscure and dnll sermon. ill THE CAUSE OF THE OBSCURITY OF REVELATION MAY BB IN THE HEARER. Like Moses, Ezekiel complains to God of the unjust judgment of Israel. His contemporaries were like the men of our Lord's generation, whom Christ compared to children in the market-place, unwilling to respond to any call from their companions (Matt. xi. 17). Ezekiel had tried plain speech; and his audience had turned deaf ears to his teaching. 'Then in a despairing effort to arrest attention, he had resorted to more novel and startling methods; but the only response he had received was an accusation of using enigmatical langaage. Neither method had proved successful. No method can succeed with unwilling hearers. Tbe best seed fails when it falls by the wayside. JV. THE REMEDY FOB THIS OBSCURITY MAY BE FOUND IN SOME ROUSING EXPERI• ENCE. Wbat is wanted is not to scatter fresh seed, but to " break up your fallow ground" (J er. iv. 3). Therefore the rejection of the truth recorded in eh. xx. is followed by the sword of judgment described in eh. xxi. After that, the people will hear, for then the soil will be prepared to receive the Word of God, whether it come in direct speech or in symbolical suggestions. Trouble breaks through the conventional crust of life, and leaves the bruised soul susceptible to spiritual influences. At least, th~s is the design of it. Unhappy indeed is the case of those who are hardened even agamst the last appeal
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-4.-.A 're/ected applwation. It is evident that Ezekiel held a position of honour and of some kind of moral authority among his fellow-captives. Although he was not given to prophesying smooth things, hie countrymen still resorted to him, evincino- a certain confidence in his mission. On the occasion here described, an appli- cation ~a.de to the prophet was upon Divine authority rejected-with reason given. So unusual an incident JeadR to further consideration. I. MAN'S NEED OF A DIVINE ORACLE. 'l'he elders of Israel may be taken as repre- sentatives of mankind generally. They approached the prophet in order to inquire of tLe Lord. And in this they were right. 1. For human ignorance needs Divine enlightenment and teaching. 2. Hnman uncertainty and perplexity need Divine guidance, wise and authoritative. 3. Human sinfulness, clouding, as it does, the spiritual Yisioo, needs authoritative precept as to the path of duty. 4. Human fcn.r and furelivdi11g need the consolation of Divine kindness and the promise of Divine 6Ujl)JUJ't, OIi. xx.1-49.J 'l'llE IlOOK OF '1'1-rn PHOPHET EZEKIEL. 365